The Smartest Investors Club
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • World

The Smartest Investors Club

World

Bird flu detected in Antarctic for the first time, British Antarctic Survey says

by October 25, 2023
October 25, 2023
Bird flu detected in Antarctic for the first time, British Antarctic Survey says

The first cases of bird flu have been detected in seabirds in the Antarctic, according to the British Antarctic Survey, raising fears the disease will spread rapidly through dense colonies of birds and mammals.

“Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in brown skua populations on Bird Island, South Georgia – the first known cases in the Antarctic region,” the British Antarctic Survey said in a statement Monday.

South Georgia is part of the British overseas territory east of South America’s tip and just above Antarctica’s main landmass. The British Antarctic Survey believes the birds carried the disease on their return from migration to South America.

In August this year, OFFLU – an open network of global avian influenza experts – warned of a “substantial risk” of a southward spread of the HPAI H5 virus from South America, where it was first detected in October 2022.

In a report published August 23, OFFLU warned that the disease could reach Antarctica and its offshore islands “due to the spring migration of wild birds from South America to breeding sites in the Antarctic.”

It pointed to “immense” negative impact on the Antarctic wild birds and mammal population due to “their likely susceptibility to mortality from this virus, and their occurrence in dense colonies of up to thousands of pinnipeds and hundreds of thousands of birds, allowing efficient virus transmission.”

Bird flu is caused by infections that occur naturally among wild aquatic birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infected birds can transmit the virus to other animals through their saliva and other bodily discharges.

Antarctica and its offshore islands are home to “more than 100 million breeding birds, six species of pinnipeds and 17 species of cetaceans,” according to OFFLU, which warns of the possibility of “efficient virus transmission” in the region.

One of the key objectives of OFFLU, which was founded jointly in 2005 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Organisation for Animal Health, is to gather data on the viruses and analyze disease patterns.

The British Antarctic Survey, which is responsible for the UK’s national scientific activities in Antarctica, operates two research stations on South Georgia, including one at Bird Island where the confirmed cases were identified.

These unprecedented cases come as several countries have experienced record outbreaks of bird flu this year. In Japan, just under 10 million birds were killed to limit the spread of the disease, putting strain on the supply of poultry and sending the price of eggs soaring.

This post appeared first on cnn.com
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
UN says fuel shortages will halt Gaza aid operations by the end of Wednesday
next post
Gaetz, who ousted McCarthy, weighs in on Republicans selecting Mike Johnson as newest House speaker nominee

You may also like

Five skiers found dead, one missing in Swiss...

Jamaica heads to Women’s World Cup knockout stage...

What we know about the veteran Dutch diplomat...

A secretive Peruvian society abused its recruits with impunity, say...

Odysseus moon mission ran into last-minute issues with...

Top UN court says Israeli occupation of West...

Meet the kids struggling to breathe in India’s...

‘We shoot first, ask questions later’: Why some Israeli...

Ancient DNA offers new evidence in long-standing syphilis...

Fears grow for runner missing in dense Australian...

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Latest

    • ‘A fear campaign.’ Students around the world are shocked, scared and saddened...

    • North Korea deploys mystery balloon-like objects to stricken warship, satellite photos show

    • NVIDIA Rallies After Strong Q1, AI Demand Outshines China Export Hit

    • US senators meet with Zelensky in Kyiv as doubt cast over upcoming Ukraine-Russia peace talks

    • Israel’s plan to ‘conquer’ Gaza is leaving Palestinians with little place to go: 5 maps show how

    Categories

    • Business (1,673)
    • Investing (4,999)
    • Politics (7,837)
    • World (6,349)
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • About us

    Disclaimer: thesmartestinvestorsclub.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 thesmartestinvestorsclub.com | All Rights Reserved


    Back To Top